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Should be understood (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.13-14 -- London, July 14, 1973:

So less intelligent class of men, they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore śāstra says, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). These indriya, these material senses, cannot speculate to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is not possible. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). That is simply laboring, wasting time. Kṛṣṇa should be understood as Kṛṣṇa says. He can explain Himself. Nobody can explain. Because our senses are imperfect. We are deficient by four kinds of faults. We commit mistake; we are illusioned; with imperfect senses, we try to speak transcendental knowledge; therefore cheating. With imper... They will say, "Probably," "Maybe." This is the so-called scientists' language. That means imperfect knowledge. Still, they want to teach. This is cheating. Knowledge must be perfect. Then you can teach others.

Lecture on BG 1.20 -- London, July 17, 1973:

That's all. Even big, big scholars. So they cannot understand because they are not devotee. It is meant for the devotee. This whole Bhagavad-gītā is a transaction between God and His devotee. There is nothing more. Just like if you go to the market and two mercantile men talking. So it should be understood that he is also businessman, he is also businessman, so they must be talking something about business. It is natural conclusion. It is not that two businessmen are talking seriously, not that they are discussing Bhagavad-gītā. You cannot say that. They must be talking about business, something about profit.

Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966:

And if the, I mean to say, partition is here, then she is a prostitute. You see? A prostitute cannot... There was king's ruling that a prostitute cannot (laughs) part here. And then again, when a girl is well dressed, it should be considered that she has got her husband at home. And when she is not well dressed, then it should be understood that her husband is out of home. You see? And a widow's dress... There are so many. There are symptoms. So similarly, this thread, sacred thread, is a sign that this person has accepted somebody as his spiritual master. He has got his... Just like this red mark symbolizes that "This girl has her husband," similarly, this sacred thread is the symbol that "This man has got his spiritual master."

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

No, first of all try to understand this, that piercing the knife in the body is not always bad. Similarly, war or fighting is not always bad, provided it is done for right cause. That should be understood. So when the director is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, is directing, so there is no cause of stopping it. He has His plan, He knows. We cannot judge. So He's the Supreme. So that war is necessary because it is desired by the Supreme Lord. To maintain the laws of the world, as to maintain the laws and order of a state, there is violence department, the police department, the military department. Why? The government can stop it. "Oh, this is unnecessary expenditure."

Lecture on BG 4.1-6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1969:

No. You have to take direction only from the physician. He is the expert in that line.

Similarly, here is the direction, the bottle of Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, "It should be understood by the devotee, or you have to understand Bhagavad-gītā from a devotee." This is the direction of this medicinal bottle. How you can go otherwise? Then you will get the benefit. That is explained.

Lecture on BG 4.2 -- Bombay, March 22, 1974:

We are not concerned with imperfect knowledge. We want perfect knowledge. Therefore we are going to Bhagavad-gītā. Otherwise what is the use? If it is an ordinary book—you can interpret in your own way, I can interpret in my own way—then what is the value of Bhagavad-gītā with other books? No. It is not like that. Therefore the words of Kṛṣṇa should be understood through the devotees: perfect channel. As Kṛṣṇa..., Kṛṣṇa says, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). Avyayam, the... It is eternal. It is spiritual, avyayam. Avyayam means "that does not perish." Anything material, it perishes. But spirit soul, or spiritual anything, everything, that is imperishable, avyayam. So knowledge of Bhagavad-gītā, as Kṛṣṇa is avyayam, the spirit whole, whole spirit, paraṁ brahma, paraṁ dhāma (BG 10.12), Supreme Spirit, similarly His words, Bhagavad-gītā, is also spirit, Supreme Spirit. Abhinna.

Lecture on BG 4.14 -- Vrndavana, August 6, 1974:

So similarly, He comes here as a human being, as son of Nanda Mahārāja, or husband of Rukmiṇī, or son of Vasudeva, but actually, He is nobody's son. He is everybody's father. He is the origin. Nobody can be cause of His creation. This idea should be understood. And if anyone understands that Kṛṣṇa, or God, is not under any rules and regulation and laws of this material world, then he understands Kṛṣṇa perfectly.

Lecture on BG 4.14-19 -- New York, August 3, 1966:

The Lord says, āmāra ājñāya. Because He came with this mission, to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness, so He says, "Just take My order, and all of you, you become the spiritual master." Guru hañā. Anyone who teaches people Kṛṣṇa consciousness, never mind what, what he is and where he is, he should be understood the spiritual master. So Lord Kṛṣṇa, Lord Caitanya gives order to everyone that āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa: (CC Madhya 7.128) "Every country, every, I mean to say, province, you go everywhere and just preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness."

Lecture on BG 4.14-19 -- New York, August 3, 1966:

Anyone who is working in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we should see that he is not being bound up. This is called karmaṇy akarma. Akarma means which has no reaction. So although I see somebody is working, but because he is working in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, therefore it should be understood that his work is not producing any reaction.

So this intelligent vision is recommended here by Kṛṣṇa that sa buddhimān: "Anyone who is working and who can see such work, who can understand such work," sa buddhimān manuṣyeṣu (BG 4.18), "in the human society, he is very intelligent." He is very intelligent. Otherwise, sometimes bhakti, the devotional service of the Lord...

Lecture on BG 6.40-43 -- New York, September 18, 1966:

Lord Kṛṣṇa says, that "He gets his birth..." Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). He takes his birth in a family, two kinds of families. One family, śrīmatām. Śrīmatām means very rich family, very rich family.

So one who takes his birth in a very rich family, it should be understood that he was certainly a very pious man in his previous life. By good work, by pious work, we get. In our next life, we get facilities, four kinds of facilities. What are they? Now, janma, aiśvarya, śruta, śrī. Janma, aiśvarya, śruta, śrī. Janma means to get birth in very aristocratic family, royal family, lord family, rich family, janma. Or acquires large extent of wealth, janmaiśvarya-śruta (SB 1.8.26).

Lecture on BG 6.40-43 -- New York, September 18, 1966:

That should be our determination as soon as we begin some spiritual culture. Tatra taṁ buddhi-saṁyogaṁ labhate paurva-dehikam (BG 6.43). Paurva-dehikam means according to the past life, he begins, he tries.

You gentlemen, boys, who come here—that is an urge from within, that you want. This urge is due to your past, previous, spiritual culture. This should be understood if we believe Bhagavad-gītā. So we should not make any more fall down. We should finish this business in this life so that, according to Bhagavad-gītā, as it is said, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya: (BG 4.9) "Then, after leaving this body, then he does not take birth again in this material world, where janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9), repeated birth, and death, diseases, are there, but he comes back to Me, Kṛṣṇa."

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, March 12, 1970:

Yes. Suppose... The same example. If you can understand the sun disc, then automatically you understand what is sunshine. But understanding sunshine, you cannot understand the sun disc. That is not possible. Therefore the origin should be understood. Root should be understood. Then everything will be under... That is knowledge. That will be explained in this chapter. Go on.

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Bombay, April 1, 1971:

Nobody can say that. Even Brahmā cannot say. But Kṛṣṇa, oh, His description is that samagrasya aiśvaryasya: "All the wealth that is conceivable, He is the proprietor." So any wealthy person, any rich person you see within this material world, it should be understood that a portion of Kṛṣṇa's money has been taken by him. That's all. Nobody can claim that "I am the proprietor of all the money that is here in this material world." That is not possible. So if that man also thinks that "Whatever money I have got, it is Kṛṣṇa's money, Kṛṣṇa's mercy, Kṛṣṇa has mercifully given me this money," then what is his next duty? He should spend it for Kṛṣṇa. That is the proper utilization of money. Similarly, if one is famous, he should utilize his fame for Kṛṣṇa's service.

Lecture on BG 9.2-5 -- New York, November 23, 1966:

We should not forget just after leaving this place. And if there is any question, any doubt, we should place before this assembly. I am inquiring. I am inviting you for any question because we are trying to understand a very nice and great science.

So it should be understood with all critical study. We don't request you to take it or accept it blindly. So śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam. And pāda-sevanam. Pāda-sevanam means to rise early in the morning, open the door of temple and wipe it out, all the dust, and give some light. The pāda-sevanam. Arcanaṁ vandanam. Then there is foodstuff offered. It is cooked for Kṛṣṇa, and decorate with flower. So many things there are, arcana-vidhi.

Lecture on BG 9.5 -- Melbourne, April 24, 1976:

That is explained in another place in the Bhagavad-gītā. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Īśvara, the Supreme, He is everywhere. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. We have already explained. So He is within the core of our heart. So whatever we desire, He understands. He is omnipotent, omniscient. He can immediately understand. Therefore it should be understood that there are two living entities. One is Paramātmā and the other is the jīvātmā. Jīvātmā. That is clearly explained in the Bhāgavata, kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi (BG 13.3).

Lecture on BG 13.20 -- Bombay, October 14, 1973:

Pradyumna: Translation: "Material nature and the living entities should be understood to be beginningless. Their transformations and the modes of matter are products of material nature."

Prabhupāda: So there were six questions by Arjuna: kṣetra, kṣetra-jña, jñānam, jñeyam, prakṛti, puruṣa. Six questions. So Kṛṣṇa has already replied what is kṣetra, kṣetra-jña, and what is the process of knowledge and what is the object of knowledge. Now He is beginning to explain what is this material nature and what is these living entities.

Lecture on BG 15.1 -- Calcutta, February 26, 1974:

The Vedic hymns, meant for elevating oneself, are called the leaves of this tree. This tree's roots grow upward because they begin from where Brahmā is located, the topmost planet of this universe. If one can understand this indestructible tree of illusion, then one can get out of it.

This process of extrication should be understood. In the previous chapters it has been explained that there are many processes by which to get out of the material entanglement. And, up to the Thirteenth Chapter, we have seen that devotional service to the Supreme Lord is the best way. Now, the basic principle of devotional service is detachment from material activities and attachment to the transcendental service of the Lord. The process of breaking attachment to the material world is discussed in the beginning of this chapter.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Visakhapatnam, February 20, 1972, At Ladies Club:

Here Sūta Gosvāmī says, yat kṛtaḥ kṛṣṇa-sampraśno loka-maṅgala. "The questions raised by you," bhavadbhiḥ, "by you, loka-maṅgala." The Bhagavad-gītā should be read very widely, and should be understood very widely. That is the only source of auspicity for the human society. But don't misrepresent it. It has become a fashion now to misrepresent, comment on Bhagavad-gītā according to one's whims. That is very dangerous. That is very dangerous. Bhagavad-gītā should be read, should be understood as prescribed in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, in the Fourth Chapter, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). The Bhagavad-gītā should be understood by the line of disciplic succession of authorized ācāryas.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Aligarh, October 9, 1976:

Therefore our request is that whatever you may be, in whatever position you may be, it doesn't matter. Sthāne sthitāḥ. Just sit down together, the family members, and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is very easy. Nobody can say it is very difficult. And if it is difficult to chant then it should be understood that we are most unfortunate. Etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgaḥ. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught that nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ. The Lord's holy name is as powerful as the Lord Himself. Na 'bhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ. This is the sastric injunction. There is no difference between Kṛṣṇa name and the Kṛṣṇa person. Because Kṛṣṇa is absolute. Advaya-tattva. Advaya-jñāna.

Lecture on SB 1.2.11 -- Vrndavana, October 22, 1972:

This is our only business. Try to understand what is Kṛṣṇa, what is Bhagavān. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. If you simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa through authorities, through Kṛṣṇa, through ācāryas, not mental concoction, manufacturing something... Kṛṣṇa should be understood through the authorities. Kṛṣṇa's love affair with Rādhārāṇī should be understood through the authorities. Not that because we see Kṛṣṇa is just like a young boy, Rādhārāṇī is young girl, if we see here, it is very nice... Of course, it is very nice, but if we do not try to understand Kṛṣṇa through the authorities, we shall be misled. Therefore in the beginning one should not try to understand the loving affairs of Kṛṣṇa with the gopīs.

Lecture on SB 1.2.20 -- Los Angeles, August 23, 1972:

That is also useless. Philosophy which does not search ultimately what is truth, what is God, that philosophy is mental speculation. And the knowledge of God without philosophy is simply sentiment. They should be combined. To understand God, our relationship with God, our duty, everything should be understood, scientifically. Bhagavat-tattva-vijñānam. Therefore this word has been used, vijñānam. Viśeṣa-jñānam. Jñānam, ordinary knowledge, and vi, when the this word is added, vi, meaning viśeṣatā, particularly, for practical application... This vijñānam.

Lecture on SB 1.7.25 -- Vrndavana, September 22, 1976:

So just to make a little joke, because they are personal devotees... So he knew that Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the avatāra. Still, he inquired from Caitanya Mahāprabhu, "How we shall know one avatāra?" So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "Why? It is all mentioned in the śāstra." So avatāra should be understood from the śāstra, not by jugglery or magic. This is rascal. As soon as one wants to establish his avatarship by jugglery and magic, kick him out, immediately on the face, directly. Kick him. Let the avatāra take steps. I don't mind. If he's avatāra, let him kill me, all right. But I shall kick him on his face. Not that avatāra.

Lecture on SB 1.8.32 -- Mayapura, October 12, 1974:

He is the Supreme Being, He's the master of everyone, and He never takes birth. Still, He takes birth—contradiction. He never takes birth, aja; at the same time... Ajo 'pi... Here it is said, kecid āhur ajam. God, or Kṛṣṇa, is aja. He never takes birth. But again he (she) says, jātam: "He has taken birth." This contradiction should be understood. The Vedas, there are many such contradictions like that. Paśyaty acakṣuḥ: "Kṛṣṇa, or God, sees, but He has no eyes." Similarly, God, Kṛṣṇa, takes His birth although He never takes birth. These are contradictions. Paśyaty acakṣuḥ. Apāṇi-pādo javano grahītā: "He has no leg, but He goes so fast, nobody can compete Him." These are Vedic statements. You'll find in the Upaniṣads, apāṇi-pāda: "He has no leg, He has no hand," but javano grahītā, "but if you offer Him something, He takes." Kṛṣṇa says... It is not my word.

Lecture on SB 3.26.17 -- Bombay, December 26, 1974:

So kāla, time factor, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is above these twenty-four ingredients of material elements. It is in between the spiritual element and the material element, via media, that kāla. This is the description of kāla.

So we should not think... The real purport of this verse should be understood that if we are misled by thinking that prakṛti is working alone and is giving birth of varieties of things, saviśeṣa, that is wrong theory. It is examplified like—in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta—just like in goats you will find on the neck, on the... It is called neck, or throat? There are some nipples. Have you seen it? So if somebody thinks that "There is nipple; there will be milk also," no. There is no milk. That is different thing. Similarly, if some person foolishly think that material nature, prakṛti, is the cause of varieties of manifestation, that is wrong. That is wrong.

Lecture on SB 5.5.19 -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1976:

Yes, He hears, but akarṇa, not that He has got ears like you. He is in the Vaikuṇṭha, many, many millions and trillions miles away, but still, you are offering here, "Govindam ādi puruṣam." He is hearing. He is here. Sarvatra pāṇi pādas tat. This thing should be understood.

And because we do not understand—everything we try to test with our limited understanding—therefore we do not believe in the activities of the Lord, and we are deceived in that way. God is all-powerful, but when we hear that God at the age of seven years age, old, He lifted the Govardhana Hill, immediately we dismiss, "Oh, this is all mythology." Why? If He has got inconceivable power—He is all-powerful—is it very difficult for Him to lift the Govardhana Hill?

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- London, August 3, 1971:

Just like in the prison house. One may be a first-class prisoner, just like sometimes big politicians, they are put into first-class prison arrangement. A second-class prisoner, a third-class prisoner, there are. But as soon as we understand this man is in the prison or prisoner, it should be understood that he's criminal. He has committed some criminal activity; therefore he is in prison. Now, you can compare between the first-class prisoner or third-class prisoner, that is another thing. But they're all prisoners. They're undergoing the duration of prison life.

Lecture on SB 6.2.11 -- Allahabad, January 16, 1971:

They think that "Kṛṣṇa's rasa-līlā is very nice, but Kṛṣṇa's fighting with the demons and killing of the demons, that is not very nice." But they do not know the Absolute Truth, that Kṛṣṇa is as good in any circumstances, either He is enjoying the company of the gopīs or He is killing the demon. That is the Absolute Truth. So these things should be understood. So any kind of līlā, yad uttamaśloka-guṇānu, līlā, any kind of Kṛṣṇa's activities, if you remember by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then you are liberated. Immediately you are liberated, from the authoritative description of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Na niṣkṛtair uditair brahma-vādibhiḥ. Brahma-vādibhiḥ, those who are very much anxious to realize Brahman, they have prescribed so many methods, ritualistic methods, but they are not sufficient because such things cannot elevate a person to the standard of a pure devotee.

Lecture on SB 7.5.22-30 -- London, September 8, 1971:

So anyone who is engaged in devotional service, it should be understood that they are free, they are now liberated from all sinful resultant action of life. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Māṁ cāvyabhicāriṇi-bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate. Anyone who is unflinchingly, without any deviation, engaged in this kind of devotional service, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, māṁ ca 'vyabhicāriṇi, without any motive, without any purpose, simply to serve the Supreme Lord, with this purpose only...

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 3, 1967:

This is the definition of God.

So everything should be understood very distinctly, what do we mean by God, not that a third-class man comes and he proclaims himself, "I am God." This is our foolishness. Why shall I accept a third-class man as God? At the present moment everyone is very much anxious to become God and cheat you. There are so many so-called swamis. They are coming, and they are preaching that "You are God. I am God." Then who is God? Everyone is God? No. Therefore you will find in the Vedic literature definition of God. Here is definition of... Just apply this definition. If you find somebody, that he is corroborating with this definition of God, then he is God. Otherwise he is a nonsense. God is not so cheap thing.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Madras, January 2, 1976:

So according to śāstra, this animal-killing is sinful. Striya-sūnā-pāna-dyūtā yatra pāpaś catur-vidhā (SB 1.17.38). These four kinds of sinful activities, namely illicit sex, striya... That is also... In our Vedic culture this is common morality. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita even says that mātṛvat para-dāreṣu. Anyone, any other woman, the wife of other gentleman, she should be considered as mother. This is civilization. So what to speak of illicit sex? But people are degrading. That is another thing. But this is our standard of civilization. Even a great politician, he says who is paṇḍita? Who is learned?

mātṛvat para-dāresu
para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat
ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu
yaḥ paśyati sa paṇḍitaḥ

He doesn't say one has to take degrees. By behavior one should be understood. So these four principles, namely illicit sex, animal killing, and intoxication... Yes. So these are sinful activities and our position is how to become sinless. Therefore we do not recommend animal killing. That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 7.6.5 -- Toronto, June 21, 1976:

Therefore we say nirākāra. No, there is ākāra, but it is so minute and small, tlat it is not possible to see with this material eyes. So we have to see through the version of Vedas. Śāstra cakṣuṣa. That is the Vedānta version. We have to see through the śāstra. Not by these blunt eyes. That is not possible.

So all these things should be discussed, should be understood, so long we are young, strong, brain is in order. Then our life will be successful. And Prahlāda Mahārāja is advising:

Lecture on SB 7.6.19 -- New Vrindaban, July 2, 1976:

"It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kuntī, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father." The Supreme Lord, Nārāyaṇa, is the seed-giving father of all living entities because the living entities are parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord (mamaivāṁśo. .. jīva-bhūtaḥ (15.7)). As there is no difficulty in establishing the intimate relationship between a father and son, there is no difficulty in reestablishing the natural, intimate relationship between Nārāyaṇa and the living entities. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt: if one performs even very slight devotional service, Nārāyaṇa is always ready to save one from the greatest danger. The definite example is Ajāmila.

Lecture on SB 7.9.27 -- Mayapur, March 5, 1976:

Perhaps you have met, eh? So that is being solved. Parāvaratvam. Para means better, and apara means inferior. Superior and inferior. There are two things, superior and inferior, everywhere, but in the eyes of God, Kṛṣṇa, there is no such thing, superior or inferior. He's superior, and everything is superior. This should be understood. There is no such discrimination that "Here is a devotee, so he's superior, and here is a nondevotee, he's inferior." That is not God's discrimination. That is your discrimination. If you like to remain as inferior, you can remain. God has given you independence. And if you like to become superior, you can become superior. It is not God's discrimination; it is your discrimination. Mind this verse very carefully. Kṛṣṇa says that "You fully become dependent upon Me, and I shall give you full protection." This is superiority. As soon as I fully surrender to the supreme superior, Kṛṣṇa, then my position is immediately superior. And if I don't do that, then I remain inferior.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

Open, fully open. Now we say simply by developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness every member in the society, human society, will be happy. This is our proposal. Now discuss on this point, whether actually people will be happy or unhappy. What is the counterargument? It should be understood by threadbare discussion, how Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement can make the whole society happy. This is the proposal. Now those who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, what argument they will forward against this proposition? Yes.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.3 -- Mayapur, March 3, 1974:

Everything should be understood in truth. So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to understand the Absolute Truth. So in another place Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ: (BG 4.9) anyone who understands the Absolute Truth factually as He is, not by mental speculation, but by the paramparā system... So therefore, the author of Caitanya-caritāmṛta is beginning with guru, pūrve gurv-ādi. Beginning is the guru, the spiritual master, because he is the representative of the paramparā system, disciplic succession. Therefore, whatever we do, we must first of all try to understand from guru.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.8 -- Vrndavana, March 15, 1974:

Therefore He is called vrajalalanā-nāgara. So don't think... You have come to Vṛndāvana. Don't think that Kṛṣṇa had rāsa dance with ordinary girls or Kṛṣṇa was ordinary man. As Kṛṣṇa was not man, He's God, similarly, the gopīs and Śrīmati Rādhārāṇī, they're internal potency of God, or Kṛṣṇa. This is... This should be understood. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Kṛṣṇa says, "Mūḍhas, rascals, they think that I am a human being, ordinary human being." And therefore they imitate. Sometimes the rascals imitate rāsa dance. "Kṛṣṇa had rāsa dance; then we can have also rāsa..." But they do not understand that Kṛṣṇa's rāsa dance is not ordinary ball dance like that. No. It is an imitation, perverted imitation. Because the tendency's there in Kṛṣṇa, therefore we have also got the tendency. But we do not know how to enjoy that dancing spirit.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.107-109 -- San Francisco, February 15, 1967:

We must take it. Mukhya-vṛttye. Mukhya means "as it is." Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). What commentation you can give? If the Vedas says, Īśopaniṣad, that "Everything belongs to God," how can you deny it? What is your argument? What is your...? You cannot deny it. Similarly, all these Vedic sūtras, Upaniṣad, Vedānta, anything should be understood...

gauna-vṛttye yebā bhāṣya karila ācārya
tāhāra śravaṇe nāśa haya sarva kārya

Now Caitanya Mahāprabhu is directly challenging Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī. Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī belonged to the Śaṅkara-sampradāya, Śaṅkara school of thought. Now Caitanya Mahāprabhu is directly challenging that gauna-vṛttye yebā bhāṣya karila ācārya. Ācārya means Śaṅkarācārya. Śaṅkarācārya has made a commentary which is called Śārīraka-bhāṣya of Vedānta-sūtra.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.109-114 -- San Francisco, February 20, 1967:

So these are stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore natural conclusion, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, that His potencies, His body and His activities—everything spiritual. There is nothing material. Cid-vibhūti ācchādi' tāṅre kahe 'nirākāra.' And when there is some indication of impersonalism in the Vedas, it should be understood that His body is not of this material nature. If somebody says that "God does not belong to this matter," that is all right. That does not mean He's impersonal. He has got a spiritual body. Matter is denied. The whole Upaniṣad... First of all they describe the Supreme... Just like apāṇi-pādo javano grahītā. There are Vedic statements that "The Supreme has no hands, but He can accept whatever you offer." Now, this is contradictory.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.113-17 -- San Francisco, February 22, 1967:

This is in the Ṛg-veda. I am sorry. This version, tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ, this version is from Ṛg-veda. Then again, in the Praśna Upaniṣad, there is another statement, sa īkṣāñcakre: "He glanced over, glanced over." "Glanced over" means when He glanced over, then the creation began, this material creation. Therefore it should be understanding, it should be understood that this glancing is not material because before His glancing there was no material creation. So our glancing and His glancing is different. Our glancing—we are seeing with these material eyes. As soon as these material eyes will be taken away, we cannot see. We are blind. But He... Here is the statement, īkṣāñcakre: "He saw." "He saw" means He saw with His spiritual eyes. Otherwise where is the material creation, that He can have material eyes?

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.152-154 -- New York, December 5, 1966:

Why sound (is) not Kṛṣṇa? If He is everything, sound is also Kṛṣṇa.

So this is called advaya-jñāna. Similarly, when we read Bhagavad-gītā, that is also Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we should pay respect. When we enter into the temple of Kṛṣṇa, it should be understood that we are in touch with Kṛṣṇa. Everything in relationship is Kṛṣṇa. That is the highest... Therefore the devotees who are in the higher conception of Kṛṣṇa consciousness sees nothing before him save and except Kṛṣṇa. That is not to be imitated, but the stage, in the higher stage, the devotee sees nothing but Kṛṣṇa. Sarvatra sphūraya tāṅra iṣṭa-deva mūrti. Everything in relation to Kṛṣṇa. Matter is energy of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore energy and the energetic, not being different, so even in the material world he sees Kṛṣṇa. So for him, there is no matter, everything spiritual.

Festival Lectures

Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- London, August 29, 1971:

He becomes sannyāsī. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Just to understand that he is in Brahman realization. So if one has to give up everything material for Brahman realization, do you think that Paraṁ Brahman, the Supreme Brahman, can enjoy anything material? No. Kṛṣṇa's enjoyment is nothing material. This point should be understood. For Brahman realization we are giving up everything material. And how Paraṁ Brahman can enjoy anything material? This question has been very much nicely discussed by Jīva Gosvāmī.

Initiation Lectures

Talk, Initiation Lecture, and Ten Offenses Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1968:

Now there may be argument, "Oh, this is a bone of an animal. How is that? Contradiction." No. So one should accept the injunction of the Vedas like that. Whenever it says this is impure, it is impure; when it says it is pure, it is pure. Now if there is any doubt, that should be understood by questioning submissively and with service from the spiritual master. The spiritual master is there. Then? But we should always accept the injunction of the scripture as truth. Just like there is a proverb, "Bible truth," "Biblical truth." Nobody can deny Bible. This should be the attitude. Bible is also part of Vedas. Therefore Vedic injunction should be accepted as it is, without any interpretation. Just like Bhagavad-gītā is Veda. Why Veda?

General Lectures

Lecture -- London, September 14, 1969:

His character is firm, without any spot. So these are the qualifications of sādhu, mahātmā, or spiritual master. Sama-cittāḥ, praśāntā, vimanyavaḥ, suhṛdaḥ, and sādhavaḥ.

So when one is in contact with such person, then the door of liberation is open. If one is in contact with a pure devotee of the Lord, it should be understood, if he follows his instruction, then it is sure and certain that he is going to Kṛṣṇa without any fail.

Thank you very much. Any question? Yes.

Lecture (Day after Lord Rama's Appearance Day) -- Los Angeles, April 16, 1970:

We may discover so many defending instruments or weapons, but there is no defense from the cruel hands of death. However you may be advanced in manufacturing so many nice things, you cannot manufacture anything which can save you from death or from disease or from old age. These primary principles of life should be understood, and if there is any possibility to make a solution of these four things, then it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā,

mām upetya kaunteya
duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam
nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ
saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ
(BG 8.15)

The Lord says that "One who comes to Me," mām upetya, "he hasn't got to come back to this condition of miserable life." Duḥkhalayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15).

Lecture at Caitanya Matha -- Visakhapatnam, February 19, 1972:

If one tries to understand Kṛṣṇa, as He is, not by fiction, not by speculation, not by so-called scholarly, foolish commentation, but Kṛṣṇa should be understood as He is. Then, that is right Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and then one will be able to understand how Kṛṣṇa is working, how the whole world, material atmosphere, and material, cosmic manifestation is working. Then you will understand. Kṛṣṇa says, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10), under my supervision. To understand Kṛṣṇa, and anyone who understands Kṛṣṇa, scientifically, then he, Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. Not the foolish man, the intelligent man, who knows Kṛṣṇa actually, then the result is tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). Immediately he becomes liberated.

Lecture -- London, July 12, 1972:

Prahlāda Mahārāja canvassing to his friends, little friends, "My dear friends, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." And they were replying, "Prahlāda, why you are insisting us to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa? Let us play. We shall see Hare Kṛṣṇa at the time of death." But he was insisting, "My dear friends, no." Kaumāra ācaret prājño. "This Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be studied, should be understood from the very beginning of boyhood, kaumāra." Kaumāra means boyhood. From... Boyhood means from the age of five years. As education begins at the age of five years, similarly, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or bhāgavata-dharma, should be taught to the children as soon as the child is five years old. That is his instruction. "Why so early? We can understand about God later on."

Lecture at the Hare Krsna Festival at La Salle Pleyel -- Paris, June 14, 1974:

Nitāi:

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya
mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yaḥ
tāsāṁ mahad-yonir brahma
ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā
(BG 14.4)

"It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kuntī, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father."

Prabhupāda: So according to Vedic conception, any living entity, in any form of life, they are all part and parcel of God. (someone yells out, "No!" and yells some things in French) Your Bible says that in the beginning there was word only, and the word is God. So before the creation, the God was there. Then all the created creatures, wherefrom they came? They came from God. It is clearly stated in this verse, "All things were made by Him." So original creator of everything was God. Everything means including all, not only a certain person or certain thing.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That also we admit because in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, yad yad vibhūtimat sattvam, mama tejo 'ṁśa-sambhavam, whenever there is some extraordinary power, it should be understood that it is derived partially from God's power. That we accept. So the dominance of American nation is God's favor. We can accept that. Now, if you put on the head representative like Mr. Nixon or some other, then it will deteriorate. If you spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness and if you make your president Kṛṣṇa conscious, then actually you will be God's empowered nation. Let the president become Kṛṣṇa conscious man. Why not? You are American, you can also capture the post.

Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte:

Prabhupāda: That means if you are in the modes of goodness, your morality is different from the morality of the man who is in the modes of ignorance.

Śyāmasundara: But he says that everything should be understood in terms of what it ought to be, that there is an absolute good.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Śyāmasundara: And every activity should be understood in terms of that absolute good.

Prabhupāda: That, that we say liberation. One should be free from the material contamination. That is our... Because under material condition, he is in three modes, goodness, passion and ignorance. So one who is in goodness he does not approve conclusion in ignorance. And one who is in ignorance, he thinks it is better.

Philosophy Discussion on Origen:

Prabhupāda: Literal... Generally, every word in the scripture there is literal meaning, but one who cannot understand properly because one does not hear from the proper person, he makes some interpretation. But there is no need of interpretation in the words of God. It may be that the words of God sometimes cannot be understood by ordinary person; therefore he requires to understand through the via-media of transparent guru. Guru is fully cognizant of the words spoken by God. One has to accept, therefore, a guru to go through the scripture properly. Generally there is no ambiguity in the words of God, but due to our lack of perfect knowledge we sometimes cannot understand and try to interpret. But this is, this interpretation is not at all feasible, because imperfect person interpreting means whatever he interprets, that is imperfect. So the proper import of the words of scripture or words of God should be understood from a person who has realized God.

Page Title:Should be understood (Lectures)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:03 of Dec, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=50, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:50